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Month: May 2014

Many years ago, I read a T.D. Jakes book and there was a statement and question that he asked that always stayed with me. It reads as such:“The Bible says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,” But what if the feet get caught between the steps?”

That is really something to think about. If you are caught between steps, you are not even on a step. You have one foot mid-air which lets me know that you are tired and you need to either keep moving or rest on a step. But that whole scenario brings me to what has been on my mind lately, actually being stuck on a step.

Many of us are in transition and for some strange reason, we are stuck! We have allowed our own personal failures to stop us. We have allowed what people say and think to stop us. We have allowed our lack and inabilities to stop us. Our setbacks, disappointments, and heartaches are stopping us. And we have certainly allowed fear to paralyze us right in the middle of the stairs. So how do we move on from here?

FIRST YOU NEED TO STOP AND TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE YOU ARE.

If there are 100 steps on the staircase and you are on step # 36, own up to where you are. Whatever is taking place in your life right now is only going to take place on step #36. It is not what you experienced when you first started, and it won’t be what you experience when you end.

It is a present situation which warrants a present solution. These are the moments where the pain is so unbearable but that you will file for divorce, quit your job, commit suicide, or walk away from everything. On step #36 you cannot make a permanent decision because the situation is only temporary.

The fact that this step is so painful should make you want to get off of it and move to the next one. Your faith will help push you forward. The reality of it all is you can stay there if you want to, but the situation is on the step. In order to experience something different, you must move to a different step.

Romans 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

SECOND, YOU NEED TO LOOK AT WHERE YOU CAME FROM.

Look back at where you started and realize that you do have a choice. You can go back to where you started, but you will not reach your destiny that way.

Whatever you left at the bottom of the stairs is still going to be there if you return. You will go back to all of the negativity that you were trying to get away from in the first place. You will go back to the drugs, alcohol, depression, and everything that you so desperately wanted to be free from.

And think about this, if you go back, you will eventually have to start over again because you will never be content until you reach your destiny. It might be familiar to you, but don’t be deceived- it is not where you are meant to be or there never would have been stairs to lead you out in the first place.

No one wants to go back to start and repeat all of the trials they went through, just to end up on step #36 again. Look back to remind yourself of where you came from, then forget about it and move on.

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

FINALLY, YOU NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE YOU ARE GOING.

It may seem far away, but it is there and it is obtainable. Think about what you are feeling right now and imagine that once you get off of these stairs, you will have conquered everything that had a hold on you.

Look at the height of the stairs you are trying to climb. Don’t view it as hard to reach, but see it as drawing closer to God. The higher up you go, the closer you are to him.

Think of all of the people who are at the top of those stairs. They are like minded strong people who made it past step #36. They are looking at where you are now and saying, “Come on up here with us. If we could do it, so can you.”

The flip-side is that the ones still at the bottom are laughing at you saying, “Look at her stuck on that step, she needs to bring her wanna be spiritual self back down here with us.”

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Ultimately, you need to look at where you are, look back at what you left behind, and look forward to what lies ahead. You are destined for so much greater. You are destined for all of the promises that are in the bible. Find the truth in the word of God. Look unto the hills from whence cometh your help. Find your joy and don’t lose hope. But most of all remember not to get stuck on the steps!! Keep it movin’!

T Brown

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I just want to wish you all a productive week filled with God’s peace. Remember to stay focused on your mission in life. As long as you are purpose driven, you won’t quit and you won’t fail. Listen to the voice of God and he will lead you. Resist the devil and he will flee. Love yourself and that love will spread abroad. Have a blessed week!

T Brown

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Oftentimes, our journeys have brought us through trials that have resulted in painful memories that we don’t want any part of. We have been through so much that we decide to hold back on God. When we have been hurt, we put up a wall to avoid being hurt again. When we have been criticized for something, we decide not to attempt it again. When we have been used, we decide not to give in order to keep from being used again.

This is a very unhealthy way for anyone to live. We mistreat others for what someone else has done in the past. They don’t deserve it and neither does God. Yes, we must live and learn, but we cannot base all of our present and future experiences on the things of the past. The enemy’s job is to stop you and to stop the plan of God. The only way he can succeed in your life is if you let him. As long as he can keep you living in the past, you will never move forward. That is why we have to be like Paul in Philippians 3:13 forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.

Our Walls Need To Come Down! As our way to protect ourselves, we have unknowingly created strongholds in our life. We make statements like this:

“I will never let another person get that close to me.”

“I will never trust any man.”

“I won’t get up and minister ever again.”

We make these covenants with ourselves and do everything possible to live by them. All of these statements become strongholds in our lives, which are fortresses meant to keep people out. But if we are the keeper of our soul and the protector of our life, we don’t need God. 2 Corinthians 10:4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) It is time to get free from all of these walls we have put up. They must come down in order to be free. Confess your fears to God.Confess your disappointments and your let downs and in return ask him to be your keeper and comforter as you move forward. You may not trust people, but trust God!

As long as you live, there will be people who mean you no good. But don’t you stop living because of them. Luke 6:28-29 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. Nowhere does it say to hold back on what God is doing in your life. We desire growth and blessings but when the going gets tough the tough shuts down on God. One of the biggest let downs is when you have stepped out on faith in ministry and someone tries to tear you down, guess what….. they didn’t call you, God did. You still have to get up and do what God says whether they agree with you or not.

Why would you let man have that much control in your life? Psalm 118:6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? Let them talk, let them laugh. At the end of the day, you have to answer to God. It is time to pick up your broken pieces and start moving in God again. Find a healthy church where you can grow and learn how to walk in the greatness God is calling you to. If the Pastor is a Bully, that is not a healthy environment to be in, but that is a totally different subject called “Spiritual Abuse” We may have to talk about that one day.

Don’t let anything separate you from the love of God or the plans he has for your life. Bad times will come, but so will good. Cruel people will rise up, but so will God. Romans 8:37 says Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. It is time to be who God has called you to be. He deserves all you can give him. Start to trust him and live again. Don’t hold back on God! Give him your all. I pray that this encourages you to get up from this place of do nothing. Please share and I welcome your comments. Have a blessed week!

T Brown

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What do you do when you find yourself in the middle of a storm? Sometimes in this walk, we have our ups and downs. Life will be going great and then all of a sudden things take a turn for the worse. Sometimes you hear God speaking; sometimes there is nothing but silence. Everyone’s storm is going to be different, but there is one consistent thing in them all, and that is God.

The crazy thing is that when we are in the middle of a storm, sometimes it is hard to see or feel God, but you just have to know that he is there. Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God (a clause). It is easy to focus on the rain coming down and the thunder and lightning. But can you see God?

It is time to really get to know God on a whole new level. Realize that God is with you in every situation. Acknowledge him and make everything about him. Thank him for waking you up. Thank him for the storm. Thank him for the ups and the downs. Thank him for giving you another chance to say thank you. Your storms are not going to feel good. You will think you are in it by yourself. Oftentimes it will stir up emotions that you never knew you had. And it’s okay to cry. Just don’t let your tears turn into depression. It is okay to get angry, just don’t let your frustration become bitterness. It’s okay to be let down, just don’t let your disappointments become discouragement.

There is nothing going on in your life that God doesn’t know about. If he hasn’t brought you out yet, that means you still have a future. God wants all of the glory in your life and believe me when I say, he will get it! Be encouraged and hang in there. Ups and downs are just another way to make sure you stay balanced in God! And when you find yourself in the middle of a storm, remember to speak to God, and let God speak to your storms!

Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Please share this page with someone who needs to be encouraged in their walk.

T Brown

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Alright Ladies and Gentlemen, if you had a chance to attend the Women in the Waiting Conference, you already know you don’t want to miss this event! Are you tired of the enemy trying to get the best of you? Are you ready to walk in your “Spiritual Authority?” If you are in the Madison/Huntsville area and would like to attend, please let me know. We are in the process of planning one of the best road trips of the year! If you are in any other area please don’t forget to register online at http://www.deliverancefaithcenter.com/ or get with me, I will make sure you get the information needed!We will meet you there! If you come ready to receive, you will leave walking in newness, walking in greatness, and operating in your God ordained “Spiritual Authority” #roadtrip#SpiritualAuthority#BeautyForAshes

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Are you a friend or a foe, and what is your role? As women, one of the hardest things to do is recognize and fill the roles in which we are required to fill. God places so many people in our life that we don’t know who is just passing through and who is here to stay. We spend all of our time trying to hold on to those who we were meant to let go of and letting one’s go who are meant to stay.

#1 YOU HAVE A FRIEND: This is the person who has been there a while and will still be there in the end. This is the one to whom you can talk and share your deepest secrets, and she will never repeat what you have said. A friend is someone who will never try to sleep with your husband or your man. A friend will be honest with you even if it makes you cry. She will tell you what you need to hear and not what you want to hear. This person is one who you can have an argument with, get over it and still be a part of your life. But keep in mind, just because you consider her your friend doesn’t mean she considers you her friend. That is just the role that she plays in your life. I know that might throw you off a little bit, but let me explain it in the next role.

#2 YOU ARE A FRIEND: There are people that consider you a friend, but you don’t call them friend. You are there for them, but you wouldn’t trust them with your deepest secrets. You may have a great time whenever you get together, but you don’t necessarily want to hang out with them on the regular. When they need you, you are always there. There is nothing in the world you would not do for them. But be aware and be careful because this person will jump ship on you in a minute. And if this person decides to walk out of your life, it will hurt for a moment, but then you will realize they weren’t your friend any way, you were just supposed to be there for them for a particular season. When you are their friend, they will pop in and out of your life every time they need something and disappear once they have gotten what they need. If God tells you to be there for this person, then do just that. Know your role and you won’t get hurt. Know that what you give them may not necessarily be reciprocated. This will prevent you from becoming better and putting up a wall.

#3 YOU HAVE THE GARDENER: This is the person in your life who will help you through a situation. You may not call them friend and they may not call you friend, but whenever the need arises, this person shows up and will help to see you through it. They may offer words of encouragement, money, watch your kids, pray for you or whatever. These are just seasonal people who are not meant to stay, but whenever the season arises they will show up and do what needs to be done. You might be this for someone else as well. You just need to recognize when the season is over. Don’t try to make this person your friend. You may ruin he relationship that is designed to fulfill a need. Vice versa don’t try to befriend the person you are only sent to help.

#4YOU HAVE THE PUSHER: These are the people that we call haters, foes, and even enemies. These are people in your life who are just meant to bring out the best in you. Why do I say that? It would seem like they are there to kill your spirit or kill your dreams, but what you don’t realize is they give you motivation to get up and be about your father’s business and fulfill the dreams in your life. These are the ones who will lie on you at the drop of a dime. They will sell you out for their own personal gain. They will try to make you feel guilty for succeeding because they are not. They are jealous and angry and will try to suck the life out of you and kill your joy if you let them. Don’t mistake them for your enemy. They are not. They are just being used by the devil to stop you and enabling the Lord to get glory while you are in a humbling position. They will keep you on your face before God. Thank God for these people because without Judah, Jesus wouldn’t have been betrayed and pushed to his destiny. We would have salvation today. So without these people, there won’t be tests to prove your character to become better and build character in your life.

#5 YOU HAVE A MALE FRIEND: This is a friend that is always questionable. When I say questionable, that doesn’t mean that he isn’t a great listener or that he isn’t trustworthy. I am talking about something completely different. It has been demonstrated that males and females can have an innocent plutonic relationship. Unfortunately many of those relationships are ruined by an attraction that is physical. I believe they can have a relationship, but the majority of the time one of them have or had feelings for the other one at some point. Why do you think the world says you should become friends before lovers…hmmm? And if you are off limits, that man may never admit that he has feelings for, but that doesn’t mean ignoring them will make them go away. Be very careful about friendships of the opposite sex because it can complicate things later when you are married. Your spouse may be ok with it in the beginning, but you let Charlie come around enough and then you are stuck between choosing a friend you had for 20 years and your mate. Keep life simple.

#5 YOU HAVE FAMILY: The crazy thing about family is that they can play any of the above mentioned roles. No matter what you do or what you say, they will still be related to you. Family will either support or they won’t. Family will encourage you or discourage you. Family will love you or hate you. Family will provide for you or deny you. Family will come and family will go, but they are still your family. There is an old saying that blood is thicker than water, which means family ties are stronger than any other relationship. But I beg to differ with that one. Unfortunately “Operation Breakdown of the Family” is in full effect. Satan is trying to destroy families starting from the husband and wife, down to the parent child relationship. Sometimes you will find families with tight bonds and then there are some that are very dysfunctional. All you can do is be who you are, know when to reach out and know when to back off, but most of all pray.

Well, there are so many other people who will pop up in your life, but I just covered a few. I hope this helps when you are deciding between letting go and working to maintain a particular relationship. And don’t take on the mentality that God will let the wrong people leave so the right one can walk in. Everyone you meet serves a purpose in your life. Unfortunately good people will walk out of your life because you don’t know how to treat them. So always check you first, and if by chance you don’t have any friends at all, you really need to check you.

Proverbs 18:24A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this! Please share and comment on it.